You know the FN Browning 1900 was probably weird when it was premiered with a slide, but now every automatic handgun has a slide.
Travis Pike is a dedicated firearms writer, a Second Amendment Advocate, and a subject matter enthusiast for all things firearms. He is an amateur competitor with dreams of one day not coming in 4th place at a local defensive match. If he’s not putting text to word processor, he’s likely spending time with family, enjoying Florida’s Nature Coast, or drinking hipster beer. As the resident Florida man he has a preference for obscure guns and calibers.
Experience
- Hunter – Long time deer and hog hunter in the swamps of Florida
- Instructor – Volunteers to teach basic firearm safety classes to kids, adults, and cats
- Wannabe Competitor – Has recently dipped his toes into competitive shooting and has happily discovered an expensive hobby.
- Marine – Served five years with the infantry before transferring to the First Civ Div.
Show First
The Obscure and Awesome – 9 Weird Guns Throughout History
Published: February 24, 2024 { 6 comments }
The Fastfire 4 – Budget Blasting Red Dot
Published: January 7, 2024 { 0 comments }I approached the Fastfire 4 with a good degree of excitement. I loved the Fastfire 3 and would hope the Fastfire 4 lives up to its reputation.
The Extar EP45 – Big Bore Subgun
Published: November 19, 2023 { 1 comment }What started with a standard 9mm large format AR-type pistol has evolved into the EP45. This is a 45 ACP, large-format pistol. I mentioned it’s ARish, but it’s not an AR-15.
Best Defensive Ammo (2026)
Published: October 12, 2023 { 5 comments }We use good defensive ammo because the task at hand is so important. Not only that, but we want a round that penetrates deep enough and does enough damage to effectively shut a threat down.
Getting Cozy with the SilencerCo Hybrid 46M
Published: October 8, 2023 { 0 comments }Suppressors are just so cool. SilencerCo leads the way with suppressor technology and has reaped numerous awards. Heck, the Banish 30 just received the Banish 30 won Guns and Ammo’s Silencer of the year. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Hybrid 46M sweeps award season next year. I got my hands on one of these new cans, and with the help of my local FFL/SOT, Big Bend Outfitters, I got to take it to the range and have my own quiet riot.
The Winchester 1300 Defender – Pump Action Perfection
Published: September 29, 2023 { 3 comments }The Winchester 1300 Defender has an old-world charm to it. It’s something we don’t see much these days, but it shouldn’t be a surprise coming from the Winchester Repeating Arms company.
Trench Guns You Can Own – Modern and Old
Published: September 24, 2023 { 0 comments }What exactly is a trench gun? It’s a shotgun, typically a twelve gauge. The name came from the fact they were designed and used in the trenches of World War 1.
Best New Guns of 2023
Published: September 1, 2023 { 0 comments }We are more than halfway through the year, and we’ve seen a surprising number of firearm releases this year.
Updated: The FN 509 LS Edge – The Bleeding Edge of Cool
Published: August 11, 2023 { 0 comments }The LS Edge is the latest in a long line 509s and brings the gun to the world of long slide firearms. It joins the ranks of the Glock 34, the VP9L, and SIG X-Five series. Besides being a long slide variant, the LS Edge packs a number of desirable features that move it to the world of premium guns.
The Steiner Mk7 – A Slick Scattergun Light
Published: August 8, 2023 { 2 comments }Mounting lights to shotguns can be tough, especially pump-action shotguns. You are trying to find a way to balance control with light capability and likely find it tough to do so. Recently I posted a review of my Mossberg 500 Retrograde and got a few questions about the light mounted to the end of the magazine tube. The light is a Steiner Mk7 battle light and, unfortunately, has been discontinued. The good news is that they are easy to find on second-hand websites and seem to be priced to move.